Chris Jones, who narrowly lost central Arkansas’ US House election, to run county planning office

Chris Jones, the Democrat who narrowly lost a bid for central Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District last week, will run Pulaski County’s planning and development department next year, the county’s incoming chief executive announced Tuesday.

Wendell Griffen, who won the election for county judge in the midterm election , wrote on Facebook that he chose Jones to “build a Planning and Development Department that listens to residents, works constructively with communities and applicants, and bases its recommendations on sound evidence, clear standards, and the public interest.”

Jones is a pastor and physicist from Pine Bluff who holds a doctorate in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Griffen said Jones’ dissertation, focused on how race and socioeconomic status affect access to electricity, is one of his many qualifications for his new position.

“Dr. Jones brings strong academic preparation, experience in community development, and a commitment to public service,” Griffen wrote.

Jones ran to represent central Arkansas in Congress and narrowly lost last week’s election to Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill. Jones’ first foray into politics was his 2022 run for governor, which he lost to Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

If Jones had won either election, he would have been the first Black person to hold either office in Arkansas.

He indicated Tuesday via Facebook that he plans to run for office again.

“2028 is just around the corner! Don’t throw away your signs yet,” his post said.

Griffen, a former circuit and appeals court judge, will succeed Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde, whom he defeated in the Democratic primary in March. Griffen is the first Black person elected to lead Arkansas’ most populous county.

Griffen has been an outspoken critic of data centers and has called for greater regulations over them, a heavily debated topic countywide this year as two technology companies have made plans to build data centers in Pulaski County.

Jones told the Advocate in October that he supported “innovation with accountability” regarding data centers and their use of electricity and water. He also said he believed Congress should play a role in regulating data centers.

Jones will leave his job at BCT Partners, a New Jersey-based consulting firm, to work for Griffen’s administration starting in January.